Welcome to my message board!
Subject: Slimming down classics?
Mr. Handsome 2007-5-12
6: 34 AM Orion Books, which decides there is a market in creating cut-down classics (经典著作), is slimming down some novels by such great writers as L. Tolstoy, M. Mitchell and C. Bronte. Now, each of them has been whittled down to about 400 pages by cutting 30 to 40 pages percent of original, with words, sentences, paragraphs and, in a few cases, chapters removed. The first six shortened editions, all priced at £ 6.99 and advertised as great reads "in half the time", will go on sale next month, with plans for 50 to 100 more to follow. The publishing house believes that modern readers will welcome the shorter versions.
Mr. Edwards
2007-5-12
9:40 AM Well, I'm publisher of Orion Group. Thanks for your attention, Mr. Handsome.
I must say, the idea developed from a game of "shame" in my office. Each of us was required to confess (承认) to the most embarrassing blanks in his or her reading. I admitted that I had never read Anna Karenina and tried but failed to get through Gone with the Wind several times. One of my colleagues acknowledged skipping (跳读) Jane Eyre. We realized that life is too short to read all the books you want to and we never were going to read these ones.
As a leading publishing house, we are trying to make classics convenient for readers but it's not as if we're withdrawing the original versions. They are still there if you want to read them.
Ms. Weir 2007-5-12
11:35 AM I'm director of the online book club www.lovereading.co.uk
Mr. Edwards, I think your shortened edition is a breath of fresh air. I'm guilty of never having read Anna Karenina, because it's just so long. I'd much rather read two 300-page books than one 600-page book. I am looking forward to more shortened classics!
Mr. Crockatt
2007-5-12
4:38 PM I'm from the London independent bookshop Corckatt & Powell.
In my opinion, the practice is completely ridiculous. How can you edit the classics? I'm afraid reading some of these books is hard work, and that is why you have to develop as a reader. If people don't have time to read Anna Karenina, then fine. But don't read a shortened version and kid yourself it's the real thing.
According to the message board, Orion Books __________.
| A．opposes the reading of original classics |
| B．is embarrassed for cutting down classics |
| C．thinks cut-down classics have a bright future |
| D．is cautious in its decision to cut down classics |
In Mr. Edwards' opinion, Orion Group is shortening classics to __________.
| A．make them easier to read |
| B．meet a large demand in the market |
| C．increase the sales of literary books |
| D．compete with their original versions |
By describing the shortened classics as "a breath of fresh air", Ms. Weir __________.
| A．speaks highly of the cut-down classics |
| B．shows her love for original classics |
| C．feels guilty of not reading the classics |
| D．disapprove of shortening the classics |
Mr. Crockatt seems to imply that __________.
| A．reading the classic works is a confusing attempt |
| B．shortening the classics does harm to the original |
| C．publishing the cut-down classics is a difficult job |
| D．editing the classic works satisfies children's needs |
How many classics are involved in the massage board?
| A．Two | B．Three | C．Four | D．Five |
Why should mankind explore space? Why should money, time and effort be spent exploring and researching something with so few apparent benefits? Why should resources be spent on space rather than on conditions and people on Earth? These are questions that, understandably, are very often asked.
Perhaps the best answer lies in our genetic makeup(基因构成) as human beings. What drove our ancestors to move from the trees into the plains, and on into all possible areas and environments? The wider the spread of a species, the better its chance of survival. Perhaps the best reason for exploring space is this genetic tendency to expand wherever possible.
Nearly every successful civilization has explored, because by doing so, any dangers in surrounding areas can be identified and prepared for. Without knowledge, we may be completely destroyed by the danger. With knowledge, we can lessen its effects.
Exploration also allows minerals and other potential resources to be found. Even if we have no immediate need of them, they will perhaps be useful later. Resources may be more than physical possessions. Knowledge or techniques have been acquired through exploration. The techniques may have medical applications which can improve the length or quality of our lives. We have already benefited from other spin-offs including improvements in earthquake prediction, in satellites for weather forecasting and in communications systems. Even non-stick pans and mirrored sunglasses are by-products (副产品) of technological developments in the space industry!
While many resources are spent on what seems a small return, the exploration of space allows creative, brave and intelligent members of our species to focus on what may serve to save us. While space may hold many wonders and explanations of how the universe was formed or how it works, it also holds dangers. The danger exists, but knowledge can help human beings to survive. Without the ability to reach out across space, the chance to save ourselves might not exist.
While Earth is the only planet known to support life, surely the adaptive ability of humans would allow us to live on other planets. It is true that the lifestyle would be different, but human life and cultures have adapted in the past and surely could in the future.Why does the author mention the questions in Paragraph1?
| A．To express his doubts. | B．To compare different ideas. |
| C．To introduce points for discussion. | D．To describe the conditions on Earth. |
What is the reason for exploring space based on Paragraph2?
| A．Humans are nature-born to do so. | B．Humans have the tendency to fight. |
| C．Humans may find new sources of food. | D．Humans don’t like to stay in the same place. |
The underlined word “spin-offs” in Paragraph 4 probably refers to______.
| A．survival chances | B．potential resources |
| C．unexpected benefits | D．physical possessions |
What makes it possible for humans to live on other planets?
| A．O ur genetic makeup. | B．Resources on the earth.. |
| C．The adaptive ability of humans. | D．By-products in space exploration. |
Which of the statements can best sum up the passage?
| A．Space exploration has created many wonders. |
| B．Space exploration provides the best value for money. |
| C．Space exploration can benefit science and technology |
| D．Space exploration may help us avoid potential problems on Earth. |
Today, there’s hardly an aspect of our life that isn’t being upended by the tons of information available on the hundreds of millions of sites crowding the Internet, not to mention its ability to keep us in constant touch with each other via electronic mail. “If the automobile and aerospace technology had exploded at the same pace as computer and information technology,” says Microsoft, “a new car would cost about $ 2 and go 600 miles on a small quantity of gas. And you could buy a Boeing 747 for the cost of a pizza.”
Probably the biggest payoff, however, is the billions of dollars the Internet is saving companies in producing goods and serving for the needs of their customers. Nothing like it has been seen since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, when power-driven machines began producing more in a day than men could turn out in nearly a year. “We view the growth of the Internet and e-commerce as a global trend,” says Merrill Lynch, “along the lines of printing press, the telephone, the computer, and electricity.”
You would be hard pressed to name something that isn’t available on the Internet. Consider: books, health care, movie tickets, construction materials, baby clothes, stocks, cattle feed, music, electronics, antiques, tools, real estate, toys, autographs of famous people, wine and airline tickets. And even after you’ve moved on to your final resting place, there’s no reason those you love can’t keep in touch. A company called FinalThoughts.com offers a place for you to store “afterlife e-mails” you can send to Heaven with the help of a “guardian angel”.
Kids today are so computer literate that it in fact ensures the United States will remain the unchallenged leader in cyberspace for the foreseeable(能预测的) future. Nearly all children in families with incomes of more than $75,000 a year have home computers, according to a study by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. Youngsters from ages 2 to 17 at all income levels have computers, with 52% of those connected to the Internet. Most kids use computers to play games (some for 30 hours or more a week), and many teenage girls think nothing of rushing home from school to have e-mail chats with friends they have just left.
What’s clear is that, whether we like it or not, the Internet is an ever growing part of our lives and there is no turning back. “The Internet is just 20% invented,” says cyber pioneer Jake Winebaum. “The last 80% is happening now.”What can we learn from the Microsoft’s remark?
| A．Today’s cars and airplanes are extremely overpriced. |
| B．Information technology is developing at an amazing speed. |
| C．Information technology has reached the point where improvement is difficult. |
| D．There’s more competition in information technology industry than in car industry. |
According to the author, the biggest benefit of the Internet is that___.
| A．it saves companies huge amounts of money | B．it speeds up profit making |
| C．it brings people incredible convenience | D．it provides easy access to information |
The author gives the example of FinalThoughts.com to make the point that____.
| A．there are some genius ideas on the Internet |
| B．almost anything is available on the Internet |
| C．people can find good bargains on the Internet |
| D．some websites provide novel services to increase hits |
What can we learn from the fourth paragraph?
| A．There is a link between income and computer ownership. |
| B．Many American children don’t put computers to good use. |
| C．Studies show that boys are more computer literate than girls. |
| D．The U.S. will stay ahead in the information technology in years. |
What is the message the author intends to convey?
| A．The Internet is going to get firm hold of our lives some day. |
| B．The Internet is going to influence our lives even more greatly. |
| C．We should have a positive attitude towards the changes the Internet brings. |
| D．Children should be well prepared for the challenges in the information age. |
Every evening, 15-year-old Rashida returns home from school, changes out of her uniform, and rushes to a neighboring farm to help her mother harvest vegetables. Her father is disabled, so the modest profit the two of them earn must cover food, clothing and other necessities for all seven children and their parents. Despite having precious little time to study, Rashida is one of the top students at her junior secondary school. But with so much responsibility on her small shoulders, she admits that it is sometimes hard for her to imagine a more promising future.
Last year, Rashida was invited to join 155 other girls at Camfed Ghana’s first Girls’ Career Camp, a program designed to inspire girls growing up in the country’s Northern Region to dream big, and to support them to pursue those dreams. “We organized this camp because we wanted to let girls know that even if they are struggling with poverty, their lives will not be defined by limitations,” says Dolores Dickson, Camfed Ghana’s Executive Director.
Over the course of five days, the camp led the junior and secondary school students through a range of experiences and career opportunities that were entirely new to them. Dr. Agnes Apusiga, a lecturer from the University of Development Studies, ran the workshop on goal-setting and career choices, describing the universities and training colleges in Ghana that could help them achieve their dreams. Participants then visited the University for Development Studies, where they toured the medical school and science labs. Another highlight was a workshop at the computer lab at Tamale Secondary School. Many of the girls had studied information technology from a book but had never before seen a computer.
“When the girls arrived at camp, they were not ambitious, because they didn’t have any idea what the world held for them,” says Eugenia Ayagiba, Project Officer with Camfed Ghana. “Many had scarcely traveled beyond their own villages.”
“I think the most important thing that happened at the camp is that we opened a window of hope for a group of girls coming from backgrounds of poverty,” says Eugenia. For Rashida, who has been laughed at in the past by her schoolmates because of her father’s disability, the experience was important. “She told one of the camp mentors(辅导员) that when she is at school, she often feels like a misfit, and she prefers to keep to herself,” says Eugenia. “But at the camp, it was different. She made friends with girls who have similar struggles. She took part in every single activity, every single game. On the last day, she said to her mentor, “The camp has challenged me to study hard. Now I see that there is light at the end of the tunnel.”How many members are there in Rashida’s family?
| A．Seven | B．Eight | C．Nine | D．Ten |
According to the passage, Camfed Ghana’s first Girls’ Career Camp is ．
| A．a program to help poor girls to have ambition |
| B．a program to help poor girl students to get university education |
| C．a program to help poor girls to study hard |
| D．a program to help the poor families |
Why did the camp lead the students to visit universities and training colleges?
| A．To show they are better than their schools |
| B．To encourage them to get good education． |
| C．To show them what they are like |
| D．To get them to touch the advanced equipment there |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．Rashida has become friends with her mentors |
| B．Rashida’s mentors has encouraged her a lot． |
| C．Rashida was sad because of her father’s disability． |
| D．Rashida has had her new dream since the camp |
The best title of the passage is ___________．
| A．Poor Girls in Ghana | B．Girls’ Career Camp |
| C．Camfed Ghana | D．Students in Ghana Dream Big |
Choose the yum(美味的东西) and risk the yuk（讨厌的东西）?
Scientists have given us a lot of health warnings. The advice from cancer experts for avoiding bowel(肠) cancer is "try to avoid processed(加工过的) meats such as bacon, ham, corned beef and some sausages", and women fearing breast cancer are told "there doesn't seem to be a starting point at which alcohol consumption is safe",
But all these health warnings tend to have little influence on behavior, So who is being unreasonable —the scientists who give us health advice, or the public that just ignores it?
The curious fact is that both might be right. The reasoning behind these health warnings seems to be this: if you do more of something pleasurable (which we shall give the name “yum”) there is a higher risk of something bad (which we shall give the name “yuk”)occurring, so you should avoid yum.
But when presented with this argument you might ask two questions.
First, maybe the pleasure of yum makes the risk worth taking, especially if yuk might occur a long time in the future? Second, maybe there are other benefits of yum that could cancel out the risks of the particular yuk that has been identified (确认) ?
So suppose bacon sandwiches are your particular yum: research shows that 50g per day — that is a great greasy sandwich — increases your risk of bowel cancer by 20%.
But this means that out of every 100 people who stuffed down that big bacon sandwich every day of their lives, the number of bowel cancers would 
rise from five to six.
In addition, if a middle
-aged woman gave up alcohol, it might reduce her risk of breast cancer, but could increase risk of some other cancers as well as heart disease.
So we need to look at the whole picture before trying to get people to change what they do, since everything has benefit and harms — just think of the joggers(慢跑者) who get knocked down by cars — and people need to be able to find their own balance.
Therefore, as you reach for your yum, perhaps sometimes pause a moment and realize that you are taking a gamble(赌博) on the yuk occurring, but that it may be a risk worth taking.What is the advice given by scientists for avoiding breast cancer?
| A．Try to avoid processed meat. | B．Try to avoid alcohol. |
| C．Try to choose the yum. | D．Try to risk the yuk. |
What does “this argument” in Paragraph 4 mean?
| A．If you choose the yum, you will risk the yuk. |
| B．If you risk the yuk, you’ll choose the yum. |
| C．The yum is worth taking, especially if yuk might occur in the future. |
| D．Other benefits of yum could cancel out the risks of the yuk. |
Why do we need to look at the whole picture before trying to get people to change what they do?
| A．Because giving up alcohol might reduce breast cancer. |
| B．Because people are not able to find their own balance. |
| C．Because all the things have both sides. |
| D．Because the advice given by scientists is not true. |
According to the passage, which of the following is correct?
| A．People are often influenced by the health warnings. |
| B．Both the scientists and the public are not reasonable. |
| C．Alcohol consumption has both benefit and harms. |
| D．People should avoid yum to reduce the risk of yuk. |
We are all called upon to make a speech at some point in life, but most of us don’t do a very good job. This article gives some suggestions on how to give an effective speech.
So, you have to give a speech—and you are terrified. You get nervous, you forget what you want to say, you stumble over words, you talk too long, and you bore your audience. Later you think, “Thank Goodness, it’s over. I’m just not good at public speaking. I hope I never have to do that again.”
Cheep up! It doesn’t have to be that bad. Here are some simple steps to take the pain out of speech making. Ask yourself the purpose of your speech. What is the occasion? Why are you speaking? Then, gather as many facts as you can on your subject. Spend plenty of your time doing your research. Then spend plenty of your time organizing your material so that your speech is clear and easy to follow. Use as many examples as possible, and use pictures, charts, and graphs if they help you make your points more clearly. Never forget your audience. Don’t talk over their heads, and don’t talk down to them. Treat your audience with res
pect. They will appreciate your thoughtfulness.
Just remember: Be prepared. Know your subject, your audience, and the occasion. Be brief. Say what you have to say and then stop. And be yourself. Let your personality come through so that you make person-to-person contact with your audience.
If you follow these simple steps, you will see that you don’t have to be afraid of public speaking. In fact, you may find the experience so enjoyable that you volunteer to 
make more speeches! You’re not convinced yet? Give it a try and see what happens.The title for this passage may be .
| A．Do Not Make a Long Speech | B．How to Give a Good Speech |
| C．How to prepare for a Speech | D．Try to Enjoy a speech |
Paragraph 2 implies that .
| A．many people are happy to give a speech |
| B．many people are afraid of giving a speech |
| C．many people don’t prepare for a speech |
| D．many people talk too long |
The phrase “talk over their heads” means .
| A．speak too loudly | B．look at the ceiling |
| C．look down upon them | D．use words and ideas that are too difficult |
All of the following statements are TRUE except .
| A．not many people know how to make good speeches |
| B．a lecturer does not need to organize his speech |
| C．research is important in preparing a speech |
D．there are simple steps you can take to improve your speaking ability |
粤公网安备 44130202000953号